


a winding road that stretches toward the truth

by couldaughter



Series: greatest hits [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Get Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-09
Updated: 2014-08-09
Packaged: 2018-02-12 12:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2109156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/couldaughter/pseuds/couldaughter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why do you need a date? Also, no offence, but why did you come to me? I stole, like, four of your girlfriends and at <i>least</i> two boyfriends, remember.”</p><p>“I do remember that, Tony,” said Jim, pinching the bridge of his nose. “No, I need <i>you</i> to come on a date with <i>me</i>.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	a winding road that stretches toward the truth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ineffableangel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffableangel/gifts).



“Tony, I need a date.” Jim stood at Tony’s desk with something that looked like desperation in his eyes.

Tony glanced up, distracted by his work “What?”

“I. Need. A. Date.” Jim punctuated every word with a sharp jab into the soft flesh of Tony’s cheek.

“Alright, alright, honeybear, no need to be violent.” Tony swung his chair around. “Why do you need a date? Also, no offence, but why did you come to me? I stole, like, four of your girlfriends and at _least_ two boyfriends, remember.”

Tony Stark was the master of stealing significant others. Or, well, he didn’t like to call it _stealing_. If an attractive person happened to prefer his company to their partner’s, and also preferred sticking their tongue in _his_ mouth to anyone else’s, who was he to deny them?

“I do remember that, Tony,” said Jim, pinching the bridge of his nose. “No, I need _you_ to come on a date with _me_.”

Tony looked up at him in silence for about five seconds, then burst into laughter. “Oh my god, oh my god, I can’t believe this, is this a teen romance movie, are you about to pull out a beatbox and play me a song by Journey. Please, Rhodey. Please, _darling_ , make an honest woman of me.” He batted his eyelashes.

Jim flushed. “No, okay, shut up, Tony. Shut _up_ , this is actually serious. Like, my-mom-is-coming-for-dinner serious.”

“Wait, your mom thinks we’re dating?” This was even funnier to Tony, and he collapsed back into giggles.

“No,” said Jim. “I _may_ have told her I was bringing a date, and then said date _may_ have dumped me this morning for some girl because apparently he thinks being bi is a _phase_ and fucking enough girls will get him over it.”

Tony frowned. “Dude, he sounds like a major asshole. Like, more of an asshole than me, and that’s saying something. Want me to punch him in the mouth or something?”

Jim grinned. Tony was about five feet nothing and barely seventeen. He was about as bulky as a willow tree, and half as strong. “Nah, it’s cool. I already called the girl and told her he had herpes.”

“Devious,” said Tony with an approving nod. “See, this is why I love you, fruit loop.” He leapt up and clambered onto Jim for a hug. It required clambering because Jim was nearly six inches taller than him, and a damn sight wider as well. Jim put an arm under his legs to keep him up.

“So,” said Jim, eventually. “I need you to do it because, like, who else in this city can I trust with my mom?” One of his hands had found its way into Tony’s mess of hair. Tony was still clinging to his shoulders, but his feet were back on the floor. “Will you be my fake boyfriend? In case you need persuading, we’re having pizza.”

“Oh, Rhodey,” said Tony with a grin. “I thought you’d _never_ ask.”

Jim grinned back. Everything about Tony was infectious, for better or worse. He’d wormed his way into Jim’s heart like the best kind of symbiote, and Jim didn’t want him to leave it.

\---------

Tony showed up to Jim’s apartment in clean clothes, which was enough of a shock to keep him from spiralling even further into a pit of anxiety. He couldn’t believe he was going to lie to his mom.

“You don’t look so hot, Rhodes,” said Tony, a rare note of concern in his voice. “Feeling alright? I don’t want you barfing on these shoes, my dad bought them for me.”

The subject of Tony’s parents was still sore as an open wound. Jim shook his head. “I’m good. Don’t like lying to mom, is all.”

“How about this,” said Tony. “We don’t actually say we’re dating at any point, and your mom can lie to herself. Accidentally.”

Jim considered this for a few moments. “That would probably work. Although, just to clarify, I will still feel like scum.”

“It’s only lying by omission, Rhodey. I do it all the time.” Tony grinned, and slid on his sunglasses. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

He took Jim’s hand and pretty much dragged him down the hall to the elevator.

The ride to Jim’s mom’s house was slow and quiet. For once, Tony kept his mouth shut, which Jim found surprisingly unsettling. Tony was a natural motormouth with practically no filter, but Jim had known him long enough to find it endearing. Losing that stream of consciousness made him feel like he was losing a connection to Tony he hadn’t realised they even had.

 _Christ, Jim_ , he thought to himself, shaking his head. _You’re not_ actually _dating, y’know_.

His mom opened the door with a delighted cry. “Jamie!”

He suffered the hug with a grin. “Alright, ma?”

“All the better now you’re here, son. Now,” she said, turning towards Tony, who was skulking at the edge of the porch. “Who’s this?”

“This is Tony, ma,” said Jim, pulling him forward by the hand. “You said to bring someone around, so…”

“Oh, that’s right!” His mom pulled Tony in by the hand he’d offered, obviously expecting a handshake, and gave him a swift hug. “Lovely to meet you, Tony. Jamie’s told me a lot about you.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. The sunglasses had slipped down to the edge of his nose. “Really? All good things, I hope.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” His mom actually winked. Jim wasn’t a hundred percent certain this wasn’t all just a bizarre dream he was having.

The hallway was exactly the same as he remembered, for all that it had been nearly a year since he’d seen it. He’d meant to visit more often, but college kept swamping him and he never quite managed to get the time.

Pictures of him as a baby still hung on the walls. Jim prayed to every god he could think of that Tony wouldn’t see them.

“Oh my god,” said Tony behind him. “Rhodes, is this _you_?” Everything about his voice told Jim that what he’d feared would happen had, in fact, taken place. He turned slowly, already reverting to atheism, and looked at Tony looking at a picture of Jim when he was about three years old and still had the world’s biggest hair.

“Don’t even start, Tony,” he said, reaching out to block his eyes.

“It’s adorable.” He paused. “ _You’re_ adorable.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Jim, ducking his head. There was no way Tony Stark was going to make him blush. “Come on, mom probably wants to chat or something.”

They sat on the couch opposite his mom’s armchair. Tony, like the spidermonkey he’d probably been in a previous life, refused to sit on the cushion like a normal person and instead sat on the couch arm next to Jim, laying his legs across his lap.

His mom raised her eyebrows, but didn’t comment. The TV murmured in the background.

“So, Tony,” she said, after they’d sat in silence for several minutes. “What are you studying?”

\---------

“Well, that was _super_ fun,” said Tony as they rode back to Boston. “It almost felt like we weren’t totally lying to her face - by omission.” He grinned at Rhodey, who had let himself slide down in his seat until his chin was resting on his chest. “You know it’s probably illegal to do that, right? I mean, I don’t care, but normally you’re the legal one, right?”

Jim groaned.

“What’s up, honey? It’s not like I’m an awful date or anything. I mean, I don’t put out this soon usually, but-”

“It’s not that, Tony,” he snapped. He wasn’t sure how he was feeling but he was sure it wasn’t good. “I never lie to anyone. I don’t like it.”

“That’s because you’re a good dude, Rhodes,” said Tony. He unbuckled his seatbelt and moved across. Jim rested his head in his lap with a sigh. “You’re a good dude, and this was a weird as hell situation.”

“You can say that again.”

“This was a _weird_ as _hell_ situation.” Tony grinned down at him. Jim found it difficult to remain miserable in the face of his friend’s relentless enthusiasm.

“You’re insufferable.” There was enough softness in his voice to pardon the insult.

Tony kept grinning. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“I love you.” 

Jim slapped a hand over his mouth. _Shit_.

Tony told Jim he loved him all the time - for passing the peanut butter, for tying his shoelaces for him (something Tony could probably do but on occasion was too drunk to manage), and once for lending him a quarter to buy soda when he was short on cash.

Jim had never said it. He wasn’t that kind of guy, really, not overly demonstrative. He told his family every so often, just to make sure they remembered while he was at college and out of mind.

Tony was staring at him. “Huh,” he said, a thoughtful expression on his face. And then he leaned down and kissed him.

Their mouths slid together. It was pretty much the best thing Jim had ever had happen to him.

Tony leaned back. “Honeybear, I love and adore you for real, but this yoga shit is hurting my back. Sit up and we can make out.”

Jim sat up. “You know, I never thought this would be so easy.”

“What can I say,” Tony said, eyes fixed on Jim’s lips. “I felt bad about lying as well. I just hide it better.”

They smiled at each other.

**Author's Note:**

> for aiden, who requested this on twitter when i asked for drabble prompts and then got... this... i hope you like it anyway
> 
> title is from by your side by william beckett
> 
> tumblr @cpnmarvel, less adjectives, more crying about in the flesh/captain marvel/marvel in general


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